[cert PG, 93 mins]
Good Night, and Good Luck takes place during the
early days of broadcast journalism in 1950s
America. It chronicles the real-life conflict between
television newsman Edward R Murrow and Senator
Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American
Activities Committee. With a desire to report the
facts and enlighten the public, Murrow, and his
dedicated staff – headed by his producer Fred
Friendly and Joe Wershba in the CBS newsroom –
defy corporate and sponsorship pressures to
examine the lies and scaremongering tactics
perpetrated by McCarthy during his communist
‘witch-hunts’. A very public feud develops when the
Senator responds by accusing the anchor of being a
communist. In this climate of fear and reprisal, the
CBS crew carries on and their tenacity will prove
historic and monumental.
Director:George Clooney
Starring:Jeff Daniels, David Strathairn, Alex Borstein
Level:AS, A2, GCSE
Subjects:Citizenship, English, Film Studies, History, Media Studies
